目的　观察不同周龄MRL/lpr狼疮小鼠肾脏明胶酶的表达及其随增龄而发生的活性变化及意义。方法　取 8、16与 2 4周龄MRL/lpr狼疮小鼠的肾组织进行常规病理检测 ,利用含有放射自显影的成像乳胶对冷冻肾组织切片进行原位明胶酶活性的检测 ;利用免疫组织化学检测肾脏明胶酶A与明胶酶B的蛋白表达变化 ,十二氨基磺酸钠 聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳 (SDS PAGE)明胶酶谱法检测肾脏明胶酶A、B的活性变化。结果　 8周龄狼疮小鼠肾组织中仅在血管处检测到明胶酶的活性 ;16与2 4周龄狼疮小鼠肾小球内明胶酶的净活性明显增加 ,在肾小球以及肾小管间质上也可检测到明胶酶的活性。乙二胺四乙酸 (EDTA)能够抑制肾脏明胶酶的活性。免疫组织化学与SDS PAGE明胶酶谱法结果显示其肾组织中明胶酶A与明胶酶B的蛋白质表达及活性均明显增加。结论　明胶酶A、B在自发性狼疮小鼠肾炎中的表达及活化随增龄均明显增加 ,活化态的明胶酶可能在狼疮性肾炎细胞外基质重塑中发挥重要的作用 Objective To observe the changes of renal gelatinase in MRL / lpr lupus mice at different weeks and their changes with increasing age. Methods The renal tissues of 8, 16 and 24 weeks old MRL / lpr lupus mice were subjected to routine pathological examination. In situ gelatinase activity was detected in frozen kidney sections using imaging latex containing autoradiography. Immunohistochemistry The protein expression of gelatinase A and gelatinase B in kidneys was detected. The activity of gelatinase A and B in kidneys was detected by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE). Results The activity of gelatinase was detected only in the blood vessels in the kidney of 8-week-old lupus mice. The net activity of gelatinase in the glomeruli of 16 and 24-week-old lupus mice was significantly increased, Gelatinase activity can also be detected qualitatively. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can inhibit renal gelatinase activity. Immunohistochemistry and SDS PAGE gelatin zymography showed that the protein expression and activity of gelatinase A and gelatinase B in renal tissues were significantly increased. Conclusion The expression and activation of gelatinase A and B in nephritis mice with spontaneous lupus nephritis increased evidently with age, and activated gelatinase may play an important role in the extracellular matrix remodeling of lupus nephritis